


Unlonely

by kaeorin



Series: Loki's Lullabies [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Lullabies, Reader Needs a Hug, Thunderstorms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:07:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23420665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaeorin/pseuds/kaeorin
Summary: You wake up during a thunderstorm and ask Loki an important question.
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Reader
Series: Loki's Lullabies [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1678240
Comments: 10
Kudos: 291





	Unlonely

_“Run outside during a thunderstorm. That downpour, that conquered hesitation, that exhilaration. That’s what unlonely is like.”_ -David Leviathan

When you awoke, your bed was empty and the world was falling down around you. 

That’s what it sounded like, anyway. Wind and rain—or perhaps hail?—were buffeting the windows of your small bedroom, sounding much like some kind of roaring battle was going on outside. As you lay there, you could even hear the shrill scream of the wind as it tore around the buildings outside. Thunder sounded somewhere in the distance and you pulled the covers up under your chin. Thunderstorms at night were so cozy. You were only missing one thing.

Casting a forlorn look towards the empty side of the bed, you sat up and pulled the blanket around your shoulders. Loki couldn’t have gotten far. Sometimes he needed to be by himself, especially when storms raged outside, but...you were lonely.

You padded down your hall to the living room, where a soft light was shining. When you fully entered the room, you saw him reclining in the small window seat, looking out at the city. For a moment, you just stood there, taking him in. Somehow, even in his pyjamas, he looked regal and elegant. His hair was mussed—just enough that you ached to go to him and run your fingers through it. He was resting his head against the wall behind him as he gazed down at the streets. As you watched, a bolt of lightning lit up the sky outside, bathing his perfect face in light. You envied it a little, that it got to touch him like that. 

Something caught his attention, then, and slowly he turned his head. As he took in the sight of you, his lips curled into a slow smile. The sight warmed you. He looked sleepy, but not wrecked. Perhaps he did not need to be by himself right now?

“Did the storm wake you?” He sat up a bit and held out an arm to beckon you over. You went to him without a second thought. When you did, he slipped his arm beneath your blanket to slide around your waist and pull you closer.

“I think so. Are you okay?” Finally, you indulged yourself by combing your fingers gently through his hair. His sigh sounded like a purr.

“I’m fine. It’s just a storm.” Just a storm, as opposed to Thor’s doing, you supposed. Not for the first time, a quick pang of guilt stole through you. You adored having Loki here with you, but he was cut off from his brother, from his last remaining tie to his home. As though reading your mind, Loki tilted his head backward to look up at you. “Here. Back up, love. I want you to join me.”

You did as he asked—would you ever _not?_ —and when you backed up, he stood up as well. He unwound the blanket from around your shoulders and wrapped it around his own instead, then resettled himself back in the window seat. When he did, he held his arms out again. You joined him, sitting between his legs with your back to his chest. As soon as you were comfortable, he folded you into his arms and tucked the blanket in around you. _This_ was cozy. Loki held you tightly and lowered his head to press a warm kiss to your neck. You couldn’t help it: you shivered, mostly with delight. His laugh rumbled through his chest and into you.

You didn’t _want_ to bring it up, but the thought had already occurred to you, and you knew that if you didn’t, it would only eat away at you until you did. You closed one of your hands over his, caressing the skin on the back of his hand. “Loki.” Your voice sounded very small, especially compared to the storm outside. “Are you...lonely?”

For a long time, he did not answer. You did your best not to let your nerves show through. In the silence, broken only by a roll of thunder, your mind conjured up all kinds of situations in which Loki was not happy here, in which he was trying to figure out how to leave you again. You thought you’d gotten that part of your brain under control ages ago, but something about the current times made it easy to slip back into old habits.

Finally he spoke. “Am I lonely, asks my pretty love while she curls against me and warms my body with her own. While we sit in her home, where she has welcomed me happily and without question, in the city I once terrorized. Where I am at once and always surrounded by the sweet essence of her. Her scent. Her touch. Her smile. Her laughter.” He slipped his arm around your midsection to hug you even closer to himself and kissed the top of your head. “The feel of her body, which she has joyously and selflessly shared with me time and time again. And she asks if I am lonely.” His voice held some small trace of admonition, which made your cheeks burn.

“No, I just mean...Thor.” You squirmed against him, not quite uncomfortable but no longer entirely at peace. “Do you miss him? With the thunder?”

He pressed his forehead against the back of your head, and you thought you heard him draw in a deep breath of you. “I will see him again. I would be a fool if I wasted this precious time with you yearning for my _brother_.”

Not quite a no, then. You squeezed his hand again, hoping to offer some small trace of comfort. “It’s okay to be a fool sometimes. I’ll still love you, you know.” 

Love. This was the first time you’d had the courage to say the word aloud to him. He often used it as a term of endearment, his lips forming the words as softly and sweetly as when he said your name, but neither of you had said it to the other like _that_. You made the conscious decision not to freak out. You’d said it first. That was fine. It was true enough, even if he couldn’t say it back. You drew in, then released a shaky breath and allowed yourself to rest a little more heavily against Loki. You forced yourself to close your eyes and listen to the storm outside, rather than listening for any signs of a storm in Loki. The wind continued to rattle the window and pelt it with rain even as flashes of lightning lit up the empty streets below. Inside, in this seat with Loki’s arms and a warm blanket around you, you felt safe. Protected.

Loki brought his lips close to your ear, only to breathe out a long, warm breath against you. You shivered again, still with delight, and held tightly to his hand. “I love _you_ ,” he whispered. “Always.”


End file.
